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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-15-2013 08:21 PM

crownver

Yes, I'll be looking around.

03-15-2013 04:02 PM

69 widetrack

Your in British Columbia, and your government insurance is ICBC, if it's anything like SGI in Saskatchewan or MPI in Manitoba, they are all computer linked to most wrecking yards, they need to be to get every last used part on a vehicle they can instead of buying new, ask any ICBC owned wrecking yard and I'm sure they could hook you up.

Hope this helps.

Ray

03-15-2013 03:29 PM

MARTINSR

Ask those wreckers to find you one, believe me they will if they are catering to body shops. We have the "Pick-ur-part" yards out here now (the Walmart of wreckers) and they will have old trucks, I was just over there the other day and there was probably five of those trucks over there. Are there any that you can make an after noon of it and drive a ways?

Brian

03-15-2013 03:22 PM

69 widetrack

That's one thing I loved about my past life as a paint rep...I was all over Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and new all of the choice scrap yards...and yes I know the feeling of the banjo playing, junk yard dog, step over 4 transmissions to get to the owner scrap yards. There was one wrecker, about 3 miles outside of Peace River Alberta, he had everything you could imagine...I had one customer that needed some oddball parts like suit case hinges that where offered on an early Ford as a luggage option, he had several pairs to chose from, or the customer that had to have the Yukon, Polar Bear shaped license plate, I was able to get 3 from this guy for $10...And yes, shades of the movie Deliverance entered my mind every time I walked into that yard.

Ray

03-15-2013 03:08 PM

crownver

I had thought of that, but around here none of the wreckers cater to guys like us. They're more interested in selling big buck items to bodyshops and mechanics so none that I know of keep anything that old. Was looking for a seat recently and the oldest truck I saw was a '96. I'll phone around though and maybe find something. There is a fellow living not too near me with a real junky yard and he has a 67-72 pushed in the back. Not sure if they are exactly the same though. Also, his place brings banjos into my head if you know what I mean!

03-15-2013 02:46 PM

MARTINSR

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69 widetrack

If I can just add to what Brian just mentioned (Martinsr, as I now realize that you guys are both named Brian), if your going to go to wrecking yard, take the whole roof, including about 6 inches of the a Pillar and maybe a little less of the B Pillar (often the front windshield's are out and the rear windshield is still in the truck, if the rear windshield is out, take the full 6 inches of the B Pillar. That way you can take it home, take your time, make all the cuts you want and be in no hurry.

Just my thoughts.

Ray

Good point Ray, I should have made that clear.

Brian

03-15-2013 02:28 PM

69 widetrack

If I can just add to what Brian just mentioned (Martinsr, as I now realize that you guys are both named Brian), if your going to go to wrecking yard, take the whole roof, including about 6 inches of the a Pillar and maybe a little less of the B Pillar (often the front windshield's are out and the rear windshield is still in the truck, if the rear windshield is out, take the full 6 inches of the B Pillar. That way you can take it home, take your time, make all the cuts you want and be in no hurry.

Just my thoughts.

Ray

03-15-2013 02:16 PM

MARTINSR

Other than making a new piece to extend out and cut off the skin welding it to it, there is another way. Go out to the wreckers and get another roof. Cut the skin off the roof straight across about 9 inches back from the front, then cut yours off about 6 inches from the front and weld longer piece on. This is a quick explaination, it won't be that easy as it will take som re-shaping and drilling it out of the gutter and such but basically that is it.

Brian

03-15-2013 01:45 PM

crownver

Martinsr, thanks for posting those pics! Looks to be a couple of inches is all the roof extends. If I decide to do this I think I will have to make the cross roof cut back quite a ways on the flat part of the roof, to avoid different slopes on the pieces, which makes the chance of major warping a good possibility, especially with my so-so welding skills. Any other options there that you guys see?

I have a couple of years on you guys. My first car was a '53 Ford. It was only 13 years old when I had it, but in those days it seemed old. In those days cars didn't last as long as they do today I think, so a 15 year old car was a rarity. Plus, they changed the body styles more frequently, even pickups. I had a '54 Ford pick up. That style was around for 3 years, plus the '56 which was a little different but shared many body parts. The '77 body style I have now was around for 7 years, plus the 67-72 were again similar but a little different is another 6 years.

03-15-2013 12:56 PM

69 widetrack

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Ray, I have thought the exact same thing. My 48 Chevy was 27 when I got it, that is a 1986 Chevy pickup today. Wow how time flies! Back when I was a kid I never in a million years imagined that I would walk over and look at a Pinto, a restored Pinto at a car show, but I have!

Brian

Yes Brain, we do think alike...I think that was evident from some of our early posts when we where gently arguing only to find out we where talking about the same thing...LOL.

I wanted my first real car (the 54 Chevy was not a real car and not that my 56 Chevy wasn't a real car, or a 37 Chevy 1/2 ton I bought when I was 17 wasn't a real truck...but a driver) to be an AMC AMX...The guy I bought my 54 Chevy from owned a 68 Pontiac OHC 6cy...loved it and a 1968 AMX 290 4 speed. I wanted that AMX, he wouldn't sell it...so I drove to Winnipeg and bought a 67 FIrebird...but always wanted an AMX. Everybody told me I was crazy.

In 1991 I found my car, a 1969 AMX, 390 Speed with just under 40,000 miles and mint. I still have that car today, it still doesn't have 40,000 miles, not because I don't enjoy driving it, I do, I just like the fact that it has under 40,000 miles and when I but miles on it I can't take those back...It's my pride and joy and the people that thought I was crazy back in the day, love to see that 69. I've been fortunate enough to purchase the two other years of AMX (anything after 1970 I don't consider an AMX, 4 seater and all...maybe I need to rethink that...LOL) 1968 and 1970, I drive these cars much more, they had high mileage, had previous work done and a car is original only once.

I get as much pleasure out of knowing I have a low mile piece of what I wanted in my past as I do driving it. Let me take that back...I do enjoy driving it more than looking at it...but like I said, they are only original once.

Ray

03-15-2013 12:30 PM

MARTINSR

Ray, I have thought the exact same thing. My 48 Chevy was 27 when I got it, that is a 1986 Chevy pickup today. Wow how time flies! Back when I was a kid I never in a million years imagined that I would walk over and look at a Pinto, a restored Pinto at a car show, but I have!

Brian

03-15-2013 12:11 PM

69 widetrack

Quote:

Originally Posted by crownver

This truck is a '77 Ford F100 shortbox. Nothing special, right? So, as I said I'm using it to practice, and to have some fun.

I had an idea for the truck that may be dumb. You know how the '56 Ford trucks had that eyebrow, peak, whatever you want to call it? Was thinking of doing that to this truck. Just not sure how it would look. Tried to mock it up last night with some 1/2" flat bar and construction paper but that didn't work.

One way I thought of doing it was to slice just above where the rubber goes along the top of the windshield, and then across the roof about 6" back, and move that piece forward a couple of inches. Maybe take an extra slice off to drop it a bit. Just don't know how to figure where the second cut should be to keep the slope similar. Also concerned about welding across the roof without warping the roof badly.

Any ideas, opinions?

You know I was thinking about what you said, about your 1977 Ford truck not being anything special and you referenced a 56 Ford for some of the modifications that you where planning on. Well I got my driver's license bock in 1971 and was looking for old cars for a few years before that. When I was 14 owned a 54 Chevy, when I was 15 I bought a 56 Chevy 2 door post, these cars where 17 and 15 years old at the time, that would be like somebody Hot Rodding a 96, or 98 Chevy Impala...."Crownver", your truck is 36 years old, a 36 year old Ford truck when I was younger at 16 would have been a 1935 Ford. Sure they made a lot more 77's than 35's but, putting everything in prospective...You may not think it special but, as Brian pointed out with the Photos of the "Show Truck", with passion and attention to detail it certainly can be...just like a 35 Ford would have been back in 71 and if the truck is kept in good shape, how will it be looked upon 30, 35 years from now? What we discount today, we often regret later.

I like your idea and I have never seen it or even heard anyone even talk about something close to it. Done right I think it would look good.

I agree! I think it would look really cool. The first way I thought of doing it wouldn't work though. The side edge of the roof has a sharpish bend in it that would have to be carried forward in a straight line, so I couldn't slice a piece out of the front to bring it down to keep the slope the same. So by just cutting and moving the piece forward would have the top surface of both roof and piece on different slopes. Not sure how to fix that. I've seen in magazines when the chop a top they make slits to change the slope, but now its getting scary difficult. I also can't find a close-up of a '56 to see how much the roof comes forward from the top of the windshield. If anyone knows I'd appreciate an answer!

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